Rutgers Women’s Basketball Finishes Regular Season with ‘W’
In what was a tough regular season for the Scarlet Knights, Rutgers wrapped up the 2021-22 schedule with a stellar second half performance in a 66-56 victory over Illinois. Rutgers finished the season at 10-19 with three victories coming in their its last five games.
Rutgers trailed by as many as seven points mid-way through the third quarter before a spirited comeback, that included a 23-point fourth quarter paved the way to victory.
Lasha Petree’s three pointer with 5:32 to go in the third really proved to be a turning point in the game, even though it brought Rutgers to within four points, 36-32. Minutes later Saywani Lassiter’s three cut the deficit to a single digit, 39-38, and Rutgers was clearly feeling the momentum shifting its way.
After a pair of missed shots by Illinois, Rutgers took the lead when Lassiter cashed in on a three-pointer to put RU up 41-39 with 1:02 to go in the quarter.
Another! 3-of-5 from downtown for Sayawni Lassiter and we're in the lead! pic.twitter.com/VqpvdZS4he
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 27, 2022
It was all Rutgers after that. Back-to-back buckets Shug Dickson and Awa Sidibe on a fastbreak pushed the Rutgers’ lead up to six points 47-41 with 9:04 to go in the fourth.
Shug's 15th puts us up 6. pic.twitter.com/WmXVNkWm9f
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 27, 2022
Minutes later back-to-back jump shots by Osh Brown and Dickson kept Rutgers well in front by seven, 59-52, with the icing on the cake coming Lassiter’s final three-pointer of the day with 1:00 to go to make it a 64-56 ballgame.
Lassiter finished with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-7 from downtown. Dickson had 19 pints on 6-of-17 shooting; Osh Brown had 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY – FEBRUARY 24: Acting head coach Timothy Eatman of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights watches the game in the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jersey Mike’s Arena on February 24, 2022 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Rutgers will make it to the Big Ten Tournament, which begins March 2. They will face 12th ranked Penn State to open the tournament at 2 p.m.
